Dangerous and Illegal Worship?

[Xenophon]

Do ya'll think we're going to be seeing arrests of our brethren here in America? (or maybe some of us too?)

 

[Pavel Mosko]

That was good thanks. It makes me wonder at one point are Christians going to have to revolt against these governors and their political agendas and buck the system and go to church with some basic precautions (masks, distancing etc.)

 

[ArmyMatt]

we very well could be. Lord have mercy.

 

[gzt]

No. I also think this is terribly irresponsible on many levels.

 

[Xenophon]

No. I also think this is terribly irresponsible on many levels.

I don't get why what's an obviously Orthodox response is 'terribly irresponsible' to you. I cannot agree with your 'secular optimism.'

I just don't understand your point of view.

 

[pescador]

The Sixth Commandment says that one should not kill other people. Every precaution should be taken by every single person to prevent the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. Loving your neighbor as yourself doesn't mean killing them, even passively, via selfishness.

 

[jacks]

Even from a secular standpoint I think the video made some good points. Why single out churches? I was just out shopping today and was in a very small store, basically bumping into people the whole time and no way to stay 6 feet apart. (We are required to wear masks.) I would be much less exposed at my local church. So why the different treatment?

 

[Victor in Christ]

We've been in lockdown in the British Isles since late Feb if i remember correctly. I was just starting to grow as a Christian before church was shut down by the Government. Life, issues got strenuous, so much so i was starting to doubt my faith. Daily/worldly pressures were building and building to the point i can't say anymore. I was searching the scriptures for relief, praying more severely than ever.......and then suddenly unexpectantly i was comforted by the Holy Spirit. I still can't describe it in words, only emotions of joy and tears of joy and thanks to the Lord.. This was no charasmatic drama which many will think.

I can honestly tell you now, when you are in distress the Holy Spirit will comfort you, he'll even reveal more to you than you can speak with words. He'll bring you joy and delight that is undescribible.

Please do not despair over Government restrictions, if your truly love the Lord and desire heaven so much, no Government restriction will ever seperate you from the comforter Christ will sent when you personally need it most.

god Bless.

 

[Xenophon]

Please do not despair over Government restrictions, if your truly love the Lord and desire heaven so much, no Government restriction will ever seperate you from the comforter Christ will sent when you personally need it most.

god Bless.

Very good and true.

As St. Sophrony of Essex said, "Stand at the brink of despair, and when you see that you cannot bear it anymore, draw back a little, and have a cup of tea."

 

[truefiction1]

I don't think I could say this any better than I'd already said it, so I quote myself:

The sooner the truth about what has been or not been done in response to this pandemic is faced up to and repented of the better, because then it's far more likely that the Church can reenter the narrow way that is Her Life. We need to repent because we were spiritually unfit to make the feeding of the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to His beloved sheep the highest priority in life. Far more precious, beyond compare, than the totality of all other things combined (including life itself) is this consuming of the Divine Love and Fire of God in Holy Communion. I was once greatly blessed by a wondrous gift of the Holy Spirit to have had this revealed to me as I approached and partook of God's Life-Giving chalice. If we failed to make this (Holy Communion) the utmost priority it is simply because we did not discern the Body and Blood and thus, taking this too lightly we did not feed His sheep, and therefor we also starved and condemned ourselves.

No more lies. No more justifications. No more rationalizations based on vain philosophies of men. Rather, in the stillness of our hearts we'll be taught by the Holy Spirit to repent and be one with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through the most Holy and Precious food that our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Son of the Living God and Savior of us all, Who suffers and dies for us, has given us to eat.

All things which, in our sinful weakness, we have done, or likewise not done in response to this crisis, need to be forgiven so that the peace of Christ can abide in our hearts. That does not mean that such sins shouldn't be denounced. They must be denounced if we are to "speak the truth in Love" as our beloved Apostle Paul advises us.

The Eucharist is not optional for Orthodox Christians. Never was... never will be.

 

[truefiction1]

The Sixth Commandment says that one should not kill other people. Every precaution should be taken by every single person to prevent the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. Loving your neighbor as yourself doesn't mean killing them, even passively, via selfishness.

Actually, Loving our neighbor as our self does mean killing them. By preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to them, Baptizing and Communing them we strive to turn them into martyrs. This is not selfish. It is the opposite of selfish.

 

[truefiction1]

No. I also think this is terribly irresponsible on many levels.

Father Josiah taught the Truth in this podcast. If it can be seen as irresponsible at all, it is only because Truth without Love can ignite the fire of self-righteous zeal in our hearts. We need to be wary of this about ourselves, and diligently careful to pray not to succumb to spiritual pride. The Truth, nevertheless, still needs to be proclaimed.

 

[Not David]

Who knows?
https://orthochristian.com/132688.html

GREEKS IN TORONTO REPORT THEIR OWN CHURCHES AGAIN, METROPOLITAN SOTIRIOS REVEALS

 

[ArmyMatt]

The Sixth Commandment says that one should not kill other people. Every precaution should be taken by every single person to prevent the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. Loving your neighbor as yourself doesn't mean killing them, even passively, via selfishness.

no one is advocating that. as Orthodox Christians, we believe communion is the Body of Christ Who is our Life.

 

[SingularityOne]

Actually, Loving our neighbor as our self does mean killing them. By preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to them, Baptizing and Communing them we strive to turn them into martyrs. This is not selfish. It is the opposite of selfish.

Could you explain this more please?

 

[truefiction1]

Could you explain this more please?

When we are Baptized we die to ourselves and to this world (the world of self Love and sinful passions), and are alive in Jesus Christ. Our sinful flesh is crucified daily, so we are martyrs (witnesses) of the Kingdom of God that is coming but also already here because God is in us. Being witnesses means that we might also be called to suffer a martyrs death as well.

When we have our own babies baptized, do we really know what we are bringing them into?

 

[SingularityOne]

When we are Baptized we are to die to ourselves and to this world (the world of self Love and sinful passions), and are alive with Christ. Our sinful flesh is crucified daily, so we are martyrs (witnesses) of the Kingdom of God that is coming, yet already here because God is in us.

I agree, so are you saying our understanding of love is transfigured into understanding Truth in the process?

 

[Hermit76]

The Sixth Commandment says that one should not kill other people. Every precaution should be taken by every single person to prevent the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. Loving your neighbor as yourself doesn't mean killing them, even passively, via selfishness.

I look at the icon of The Dormition of The Theotokos every day and request that she, "remind us of our own deaths." We believe that the Body and Blood of Christ is our life. I can live without my breath or beating heart but I cannot live without His Uncreated Grace that's bestowed through the sacred Eucharist.

 

[truefiction1]

I agree, so are you saying our understanding of love is transfigured into understanding Truth in the process?

I would change the choice of wording for more clarity: Knowledge of Love (possession of it, or of Him) is a gift of grace. That same grace also imparts gifts of spiritual discernment or clear sightedness, which manifest in our ability to know good from evil; the Truth from a lie.

 

[SingularityOne]

I would change the choice of wording for more clarity: Knowledge of Love (possession of it, or of Him) is a gift of grace. That same grace also imparts gifts of spiritual discernment or clear sightedness, which manifest in our ability to know good from evil; the Truth from a lie.

Thank you, this makes more sense. I appreciate your change in wording for clarity here.